Allergies occur when your immune system is triggered by envirionmental factors it should ignore--for example, pollen in the air, or dander on a cat or dog--and creates cells to fight against them. An allergic reaction typically causes itching, congestion, or drainage, and can be very serious.
...Read more

8

Is there a question?:
All medicines may have side effects. Common side effects of Monistat include headache, burning/itching/pain in the vagina or urinary opening, or lower abdominal cramps. If Gyne-Lotrimin works better for you and Monistat caused problems...avoiding Monistat is a good decision.
...Read more

9

Yes:
Not all of the food allergies are created equal. Food allergies like dairy, egg, wheat tend to be outgrown. Tree nut and peanut are less likely (although recent studies suggest that 20-30% outgrow the peanut allergy). Environmental allergies tend to "grow on you" with time. Note: the allergy test may remain positive despite the child having outgrown the allergy. Consult with an allergist.
...Read more

10

Genes + environment:
To develop an allergy, you need a genetic predisposition. For example, children at highest risk of developing allergic asthma are those whose parents have asthma. Also necessary is multiple exposures to the allergen. The strongest predictor of developing allergies in the future is having allergic disease now (for example, a child with eczema has increased chance of developing asthma).
...Read more

11

Exposure + Genes:
One needs both a genetic component and "exposure" to a said allergen to develop an allergy. There is a growing support over the past 20 years, that growing up in an environment which is "too clean" can also lead to development of allergies down the road. Either way, allergies are on the rise.
...Read more

14

It depends:
It really depends on the age of the child, and whether you're talking about food or environmental allergies. I generally will skin test children over age 2 for environmental allergies, while many younger kids need food testing. In terms of frequency, children with environmental allergies may benefit from repeat testing after 2 years, as their allergies can change as they get older.
...Read more

16

Hygiene hypothesis:
The immune system has two opposing arms, one makes protective antibodies against bacteria and viruses, the other makes allergic antibody. One theory is that early antibiotic use disrupts the gut flora which tips the scale away from fighting infection and more toward making allergic antibodies. Clean environments might be at fault as well, farm kids don't get allergies as much as city kids.
...Read more

17

Skin testing:
The easiest way to determine whether or not a child is allergic to certain foods is skin testing. Blood testing might also be considered. The gold standard (best) test for food allergy is an oral food challenge (should be done under supervision of a qualified allergist).
...Read more

18

Nut allergy:
Maybe. Your children may have inherited genes from you that make them more likely to develop an allergy, but they do not inherit a specific allergy to a food e.g. Nuts. The children have to be exposed to food proteins in the diet, before an allergy can develop. Once one develops an allergy then they are always allergic and need proper medical attention to prevent severe problems.
...Read more

19

Depends:
Several factors here. I usually never recommend it if the family is attached to the pet, but if it is causing severe symptoms, you should sequester the animal out of the bedrooms and living spaces. Then make sure you thoroughly rid those areas of cat dander as it is a potent and tenacious allergen.
...Read more

20

Sometimes:
Some people's allergies get better over years, some get worse, and some are stable. Keeping allergies well-controlled not only keeps kids feeling better and sleeping better, but also doing better in school (it's hard to learn material when you feel miserable)! also, keeping allergies under control decreases the risk of ear infections and sinusitis.
...Read more

21

Sometimes:
But not all the time. Nasal allergies are not a frequent cause of a really bad persistent cough. In a child with allergies and a really bad cough (assuming no fever) I would be concerned about a reactive airway/asthma type condition. If the child also had eczema I would be even more concerned.
...Read more

22

Skin or Blood:
Depending on the clinical history and suspected allergen, some practitioners choose the less painful and timely method, which is a blood test looking for specific ige antibodies, also called rast testing. Percutaneous skin tests are still the gold standard for allergy testing. This is something which you should discuss with your physician.
...Read more

23

Breastfeed!:
Breastfeeding is shown to be protective for children with a strong family history of allergies. If unable to breast feed, try a hypoallergenic formula such as "nutramigen" or "alimentum". Try to avoid introducing baby foods until 4-6 months of age; once you do, introduce them slowly. Interestingly, exposure to dogs & cats appears to reduce the risk of becoming allergic to those household pets!
...Read more

24

Allergy tests:
There are several types of testing. Some involve certain types of blood tests. Another method is to do a series of skin tests done by pricking the skin and applying different allergens. Other tests are provocative tests that can involve challanging the patient with allergic materials. Testing should be done by doctors specializing in allergy to obtain the best results.
...Read more

26

Nasal, eye, skin:
Children will exhibit sneezing, itchy nose/eye, stuffy nose or cough with close exposures with pets. If licked by a cat or dog and allergy is present, a rash could develop at that site. The allergies could manifest as asthma with cough, wheezing or difficulty breathing. Typically a pattern will be seen, but if it is an indoor pet, the symptoms may be continuous.
...Read more

27

Possible:
If one or both parents have allergy, the risk for the child to have allergy increases dramatically. However, they do not inherit the specific allergy directly. They become allergic based on their own exposures. So they may not have the same set of allergies as their parents. Be cautious.
...Read more

28

Please clarify:
Yes children have allergies and yes there are specialists. You have not provided enough background information to determine whether the situation needs a doc, much less a specialist. You can start over with the additional info and we may be better able to help you.
...Read more

30

Question unclear:
If you are asking what to do if the kid is allergic to what you prepaired, the answer is simple, don't let s/he eat it. Prepare something else. If the child ate it and developed hives, benedryl may help some. It is advisable to know specific dietary problems in any child you watch & have a rapid action plan for any unexpected reactions. Kids can develop pbms to foods they have tolerated in the past.
...Read more